


Business and Pleasure

by Alyas_Alias



Series: Ukitake Juushiro x Onmitsukido!Reader [6]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-06-23 22:45:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19711018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alyas_Alias/pseuds/Alyas_Alias
Summary: Mixing 'business' and 'pleasure'. Is that a love-triangle I see on the horizon? Drama for Juushiro and [Name]'s relationship, perhaps?





	1. Tsukishiro Angela

**Author's Note:**

> What you need to know:  
> -This story starts off around the Meiji-era of Japan (ballpark of 1868-1912ish). Of course, seeing as this is a work of fiction, there are most likely going to be some inaccuracies if you try to compare it to reality.

“Ah, Angela- _chan_!”

“Good morning, Naoko- _san_.” Angela puts down the shears she was working with, tending to the plants in her front yard, and gives her next-door neighbor her full attention.

“Thank you for the mint the other day. It worked wonders for my grandson’s cough.”

“No problem. Let me know if you need more. I’ve got more growing in my garden.”

“Thank you. How did you know to make tea from the mint?”

“My husband is sickly at times and I’ve found that mint does wonders for his throat.”

“Right…your husband is a…”

“Novelist. He’s been traveling, trying to get some inspiration and reference material for his future works.”

“I see. I’ll pray for his safe return.”

“Thank you!”

Tsukishiro Angela soon wraps up her work in the front-yard. She heads around to the back of the house where she keeps her garden. She’ll figure out what to make for dinner based on what’s ready to harvest.

A couple of hours later, she finishes tending to her crops. She managed to harvest some carrots, daikon, onions, and a head of lettuce. She’ll have to head out to pick up a few ingredients, but she’ll be able to put together a lovely stew once she returns. She’ll portion some out for Naoko and her grandchild if it’s a success. She wants to check in on the child’s condition and figure out if she’ll have to give him a mix of herbs or if the mint-tea will be enough to get him through his bought of sickness.

Grabbing two large bowls from her kitchen along with a couple of cloths, she heads out. She’ll need at least one of the containers to carry tofu and the other for meat, depending on where she buys it. The cloths will be in case she finds anything else to carry home. As she walks, she smiles and greets the passers-by, making casual conversation with a few when they stop her to chat and taking note of a few requests for herbs.

She learns that Kaoru, the wife and co-owner of one of the tea shops in town, is pregnant with her third child. She’ll stop by to congratulate the family on her way back and to offer her services. Kaoru always had nasty morning sickness so she might request some of the mint that she has growing in her yard.

Heisuke, a young boy that was brought to her with a sprained ankle three weeks ago, is on his feet now. His mother watches him like a hawk to ensure he won’t go spraining something else chasing the birds as he tends to do.

Angela came to this town about three years ago after meeting and marrying her husband. He has a thirst for knowledge and traveling, so he sent her home ahead of himself, giving her free-reign of the house and area. Some would say that she was an exotic treasure he found and sent back home, but Angela assures them all that they are in love, that she wouldn’t have agreed to marry him otherwise. She fell in love with his bright, intelligent eyes and earnest sense of adventure. A man like that will travel and forsake his home if there’s nothing for him to come home to. Angela insists that she’s happy being the tether that will entice him to come home after he has had his fill of adventure. And when he does come home she will greet him with a hot dinner and a clean house.

Despite being a newcomer, Angela has integrated well into the community. She takes part in community events, trades crops with her neighbors during harvest-time, and pitched in to protect the city from a flood when the rain wouldn’t let up in her second year. Using her knowledge of physiology and herbs, Angela has become a respected member of the community by helping with pregnancies and mixing herbal remedies and other things for people on request.

The residents of this city are a tight-knit community. They look out for each other and are wary of newcomers or people acting strange. Angela has been blessed to be accepted into the community as quickly as she was. She has Tsukishiro Soushi to thank, her absent husband. He grew up in this city, delighting children with his story-telling and earning a living teaching people how to read. The residents cheered him on when he left to gain inspiration for his novels a little more than half a decade ago.

Angela arrives at the shopping district and makes a beeline for a familiar kiosk. Takeshi, the tofu-seller. She’s eaten dinner with him and his family numerous times over the years. They were among the first to accept her in the community when she looked after their eldest, Takeru, when he wandered too far from home and got lost within the first few weeks of her arrival. She took care of him until his parents overheard and came to retrieve him. Since then, they’ve welcomed Angela with open arms. Takeru has learned his way around town and has started dropping by to visit her every so often. She’s been teaching him some simple remedies and herb combinations to ease trivial things like coughs or topical pain relief.

“Put that away. Yer money’s no good here.” Takeshi grins at her. “We still owe ya for setting Megumi’s leg last week. It’s on the house!”

“T-Thank you. How is Megumi- _san_?”

“Ask her yourself—”

“An-An!” A child’s voice cuts off that of Megumi’s as the small child in her arms reaches out for Angela.

“Mika- _chan_!” Angela holds out her arms and upon receiving a nod from the parents, Mika is transferred to her hold.

“Right, we owe you for her too.”

Angela helped deliver Mika about fourteen months ago. She’s a bubbly child, looking at the world with big, curious eyes. She’ll be up on her feet and trailing after her older brother soon enough. Angela stays to chat with the family for a little while, trading news from the outer edge of the city for anything interesting and noteworthy they’ve heard in town.

Thanks to the money she saved from the tofu, Angela has enough to splurge on protein. She gets double what she would have at the butcher. She’ll have more than enough stew to share, provided she doesn’t mess up in preparing it.

On her way back to the outskirts, Angela drops by the sweets shop to congratulate Kaoru and her family.

“An- _chan_!” Kaoru greets her warmly, darting out from behind the counter to hug her friend.

“Kaoru- _chan_!” Angela hugs back. The two are all smiles as they greet each other and share a few jokes and jibes. “Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thanks. Third one’s the charm, right?”

“Still hoping for a girl?”

“Yes, but don’t tell Taro. He’s hoping for another boy,” Kaoru rolls her eyes. “As if two isn’t enough.”

Taroguchi is Kaoru’s husband. Originally the son of a seamstress and a textiles merchant, Taroguchi broke free of his family’s history with textiles and carved out a name for himself cultivating tea leaves. His brews caught the attention of Kaoru, a lady with a passion for sweets. The two are a match made in heaven, according to their patrons.

“Hang in there, Kaoru- _chan_. I’ll come by with some mint and lavender next time.”

“Thank you.”

The two chat for a while over a couple of cups of tea and some snacks to share. Kaoru vents about her rambunctious sons and how Taroguchi seems to encourage their antics. Angela drinks it all in, joking around with her friend. Eventually, the shop gets busy and they have to bring their catch-up to an end as Taroguchi requests help with the customers.

“An- _chan_ , you’re not walking home alone, are you?”

“I am.”

“Be careful! I’ve heard lately that people disappear on the path between town and the outskirts. Old Lady Naruko’s son went missing going to work one day. He came back three days later but Naruko swears he’s not her son. She kicked him out of her house and he’s staying with Genichi and his family now.”

“Naruko’s always had strange delusions.”

“Yes, but she’s not the only one. The same thing happened to Genichi weeks ago. He went to visit someone in the outskirts and when he came back Hana swore up and down that he wasn’t her husband. She stopped saying that a few weeks later.”

“Odd.”

“I don’t know who to believe anymore. Maybe everyone is crazy. What I do know is that the path in and out of town is no place for a young lady all alone.”

“I’ll be careful, Kaoru- _chan_. Thank you.”

With a final hug and a purchase of a box of sweets, Angela leaves the establishment with her arms laden with groceries and sweets for dessert. It’s something popular in China, Moon Cakes, to celebrate the new year and the harvest.

On her way back, Angela is diligent in listening for a potential ambush. Kaoru’s warning makes the path home seem much more sinister than it usually is. She just hopes she doesn’t hear a cracking twig or else she may ruin the tofu in fright.

She’s in luck, Junya, her other next-door neighbor, was riding back to the outskirts after selling his wares in town for the day. She hitches a ride on the back of his horse-drawn wagon and feels a little bit relieved that he seems to be the same Junya she’s known for three years.

Junya drops her off at her house, saving her twenty more minutes of walking and allowing her more time to make the stew. She thanks him with one of the Moon Cakes she purchased from Kaoru and bids him ‘good night’.

Once inside the safety of her own home, Angela calms her beating heart and starts puttering around in the kitchen. Cooking has never really been her forte. Much like Kaoru, she’s got a knack for making sweets, but she knows that it can’t be all she makes. She wants to cook delicious and nutritious meals for her husband someday, so she has to learn to manipulate more than just sugar and flour in the kitchen. Reminding herself of her goal, Angela works hard to cut the meat and vegetables into even pieces so that they will cook evenly in the pot.

It’s getting late. The sun went down a little over two hours ago. The stew is finally ready. Angela has tasted it and deemed it good enough to share. She didn’t burn anything this time and the stew seems to be seasoned enough. It wouldn’t be able to compete with a true home-maker’s cooking, but at least it’s more than just ‘edible’ and is actually closer to ‘enjoyable’. She portions some out and prepares to bring it over to Naoko’s house.

A knock comes at her door. She checks the clock hanging on the wall: 8:11P. She wonders who would be visiting at this hour. If it were a medical emergency they’d be banging on the door and it’d be accompanied by muffled voices explaining the issues and asking for help. Angela is tense as she goes to answer the door. It could be nothing, one of her neighbors bringing her a portion of the dinners they cooked, Kaoru coming for some feminine energy. Although, Kaoru was the one that told her not to travel between town and home by herself so it probably isn’t her.

She hopes it’s just one of her neighbors. Angela doesn’t even want to think about what’ll happen if it’s someone from her other life. She’s enjoyed three years of blissful existence here and she doesn’t want all of that coming to an end; especially not at this moment when she’s managed not to screw up cooking dinner.

She slides open the front door with one hand, the other gripping something in her sleeve. Before she can take in the figure on the other side of the door, she hears a gasp.


	2. Seeds of Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What you need to know:  
> -[Name] met Juushiro when he was first brought to Mimihagi when he was three years old.  
> -Years later, they met again at Mimihagi’s shrine. [Name] had spirit-pressure and was attracting Hollows. The Ukitake family decided to take [Name] in to streamline her application into the Shin’o Academy—with her consent, of course.  
> -[Name] was up to four years behind Juushiro in the Academy despite the fact that they are very close in age.  
> -[Name] graduated and joined the Onmitsukido at some point.  
> -Juushiro and [Name] are married in this installment and have been married for a while.  
> -The events of this chapter happen almost simultaneously with the events of the previous chapter. I included the whole “Meiji-era” business to give readers a sense of time/place. I wanted the readers to imagine Angela living in a Meiji-esque environment rather than the modern-looking cities we’re used to seeing in Bleach. That being said, the period I refer to in Japanese history is approximately a century in the past of the real world. Therefore, while the events of the Pendulum chapters were occurring in Soul Society, it was Meiji in the World of the Living’s Japan…if Bleach takes place in our reality at all.   
> -the events of this installment take place before the Pendulum chapters, so I’m basically ballparking decades. This means that Juushiro has been a Captain for around a century (give or take a couple of decades in either direction).

**In Seireitei**

Juushiro fidgets with his hands as he waits in the sitting room at Ugendo. It’s a _tatami_ room equipped with a table, and twin display shelves that currently house antiques and other trinkets—mainly for decoration. There is a modest side-cabinet off to the side where a tea set, tea leaves, and some snacks are kept, awaiting a time when they are needed to host a visitor.

This room has seen many visitors over the centuries. Many kinds of conversations have taken place in this room, ranging from serious or dire, to some light-hearted joking between friends. Juushiro fears he is here for the former.

Hours ago, he left a general Captain’s meeting. There wasn’t much to report except for the odd soul being unaccounted for in some squad’s jurisdiction. After the meeting, Shihouin Yoruichi came up to him and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another and Yoruichi asked if she could stop by tonight. She had a present made for Hina’s birthday, but it wasn’t finished until today and she wanted to give it to Hina in-person.

Juushiro understood the request for what it really was: a request for a meeting in private.

The _Onmitsukido_ is at times considered ‘behind the times’ due to their organization system. They’ve been likened to feudalism, with positions and titles passed down through blood. They are an organization on their own, reporting directly to the Central 46. They are currently linked with Squad Two, but only because Yoruichi earned a position as captain and currently acts as a bridge between the separate organizations. Whether they fully merge or not is her decision, with input and influence from Central 46, most likely.

Yoruichi is basically royalty in the _Onmitsukido_. She’s the eldest child of the Shihouin clan. Even without the inherited title, she would have earned the position at the top of the _Onmitsukido_ with her skills alone. The captain-ship of squad two was earned entirely through her own skills.

Despite being the commonality between the two organizations, _Gotei_ and _Onmitsukido_ , Yoruichi has done a fine job in keeping the two organizations separate. Some would say that Yoruichi’s loyalties are divided, whether she reports directly to the Central 46 or to Genryusai. Juushiro is sure it’s more complex than ‘ _Gotei_ or _Onmitsu_ —pick one loyalty’, but he isn’t one to pry. Both organizations thrive with Yoruichi at the helm. It’s rare that the two organizations collaborate, but when they do Yoruichi has ways of ensuring that they remain independent. The _Gotei_ doesn’t find out more than they should and the _Onmitsu_ do not break their strict codes of secrecy while still managing to operate alongside and under the noses of the _Gotei_. Yoruichi gets to decide if it’s a job that falls under _Onmitsu_ or _Gotei_ jurisdiction. Central 46 rarely intervenes or vetoes her decision. There are rumors that she blurs the lines at times to bolster one organization or the other, but Juushiro is inclined to believe that if she does it at all she has good reasons. He’s someone that puts his faith in people rather than in bureaucracy. Sentient beings have the capacity to judge and make decisions when it comes to grey areas; laws are ‘absolute’ and exceptions and special cases don’t exist before them.

With all of that in mind, Juushiro is pretty sure his meeting with the head of the _Onmitsu_ is going to be more ‘business’ than ‘pleasure’. It’s most likely an _Onmitsu_ issue if she didn’t bring it up at the Captain’s meeting and asked to meet in private under the guise of seeing his siblings.

“Sorry about the wait. It took longer than I expected to give my guys the slip.” Despite the complaint, Yoruichi’s pride in her people shows through. She trained most of them, personally. Juushiro smiles and stands to greet Yoruichi.

“It’s alright.” Juushiro moves to the side-cabinet and brings out a tea pot, two cups, and a tin of leaves. He sets out some rice crackers as he steeps the tea with some hot water he brought in a while ago, kept heated on a small hot-plate in the room. “Unfortunately, Hina’s in bed at this hour.”

“That’s fine. I expected as much. It’s sad that I won’t get to see her face when I give her this,” Yoruichi sets a wrapped parcel on the table. “but it can’t be helped.”

“Thank you.”

“No worries. You’re a smart man, Ukitake, you know that this isn’t what I came for.”

“Aa.” Juushiro pours the two of them a cup of tea and settles on the other side of the table, sipping his tea as he waits for Yoruichi to elaborate.

“How much has [Name] told you?” Yoruichi’s bluntness causes Juushiro to choke on his mouthful of tea.

“I’m sorry?”

“About the mission she was sent on. How much did she tell you?” Yoruichi’s sharp eyes are on him, studying his face for any trace of lies. It’s not that she thinks the captain of thirteenth is untrustworthy—far from it—but years of training kick in and she’s not taking chances when it comes to _Onmitsu_ work.

“I haven’t heard from her in years.” Yoruichi quirks an elegant eyebrow, prompting Juushiro to continue speaking. “We don’t talk about work when we’re together. All I know is that she has nightmares more nights than not and that her job takes her away from home far too much for anyone’s liking. It’s the truth though, I haven’t seen or heard from my wife in years.” He takes a sip of his tea and the accusation hangs between them. _I haven’t seen my wife in years—I don’t know if she’s still alive—thanks to her job as an_ Onmitsu.

Juushiro carries on as usual even as he knows he’s being scrutinized. Being married to an _Onmitsu_ member has taught him not to be offended by their built-in lie-detection even during private conversations. It’s a force of habit. Luckily, he is an honest man with nothing to hide. He’s heard of some marriages falling apart under the weight of scrutiny, partial truths, and offense at being scrutinized. While it’s rare that he and [Name] are in the same room long enough for the scrutiny to occur, even after a century of being married, they’ve never had reason not to trust each other for more than a couple of hours (exceptions for surprises and presents, of course).

“Wow. To not even tell her own husband,” Juushiro isn’t surprised Yoruichi knows about their union. Yoruichi slaps a palm to her forehead and lets out a gargantuan sigh. “[Name]’s waaaay too up-tight.”

“Does what you’re about to tell me have something to do with [Name]?” Juushiro sips his tea, ignoring Yoruichi’s theatrics. He hides his concern behind the tea cup; no use panicking here and now.

“Sort of. It’s a mission she was involved in before. If she wasn’t so strict on secrecy, we could have saved some time.” It’s amazing how quickly Yoruichi can go from dramatics and jokes to business in no-time. Shunsui is like that too. Juushiro wonders if he just attracts that sort of person or if it’s a coincidence.

“So, what is it that you need from me?”

“One of our active operations is currently bordering an area under Thirteenth’s jurisdiction. I’m here to petition for Thirteenths aid. We need more eyes and ears for this op.”

“More? How big is this operation?”

“It’s huge—but that’s not why I’m asking for help,” Yoruichi takes a sip from her cup. “This op has spread to the World of the Living.”

“I see.” Juushiro furrows his brow as he begins to put together the pieces.

The _Onmitsukido’s_ primary duty is to neutralize threats within the _Gotei_ ; the _Gotei’s_ main duties are to protect souls by performing _konso,_ and fighting off Hollows. It goes unspoken that the _Onmitsukido_ mainly operate in Soul Society and don’t have much reason to be deployed to the World of the Living. Once in a while, one of their operations will bleed into the World of the Living if they are pursuing a defector from the _Gotei_ or someone else that over-stays their admittance. The _Onmitsukido_ answers directly to Central 46; but even then, they aren’t supposed to operate in the World of the Living without informing the _Gotei_.

The fact that Yoruichi is asking for this to be ‘off the books’ means that the _Gotei_ aren’t being officially informed of the operation and there are many reasons, good and bad, that she would do such a thing. The negative reasons include trying to pull the wool over Genryusai’s eyes, having something sinister going on behind the scenes above their heads, or that this operation could be easily compromised if too many people know of it. Secrecy is the golden rule in the _Onmitsukido_.

Moments like these are what cause people to doubt Yoruichi’s loyalties. Luckily, Juushiro is inclined to believe in people rather than in protocol. He married an _Onmitsu_ so his ‘loyalties’ are just as suspect as Yoruichi’s. He’s certain that is why she is approaching him and not any other captain in the _Gotei._ Well, that and the fact that the operation seems to be running alongside an area under his squad’s jurisdiction, but she could have simply asked for permission to send her members into the area.

“I know I’m asking a lot from you, Ukitake. Right now, it’s hard to know who to trust.” Yoruichi pulls an envelope out of her robes and sets it on the table with the Shihouin crest face-up.

“If you’re willing to accept working under utmost secrecy, take this envelope and go to the address on the other side. One of my agents is currently operating in the World of the Living. They’re in-charge of this operation and they’ll fill you in. I trust them completely and will leave negotiating aid and how that will work up to the two of you.” Yoruichi gets up from her side of the table and makes for the door. She pauses before she slides it open.

“Do not open the envelope. The contents are for the one you’ll meet if you choose to take part in this operation. Thank you, Ukitake.”

Yoruichi opens the door and is gone in a flash, living up to her reputation. Juushiro is left to ponder his next move, alone. The envelope sits on the table, innocently, as though it isn’t carrying the weight of a top-secret operation.

He didn’t even have time to ask Yoruichi about [Name] and he grows worried. She mentioned that it was an operation [Name] was on, but she didn’t say that she’s still involved or that he’d be meeting her. The envelope on the table is different from the last-words letters he’s grown familiar with.

A seed of doubt has taken root in his mind. It’s part of the _Onmitsu_ training, he knows, but it’s still mind-boggling how smoothly Yoruichi managed to orchestrate their meeting.

She mentioned that [Name] _was_ on the mission, past-tense. She didn’t mention [Name] still being on the mission. Juushiro eyes the envelope with apprehension. It’s not unlike the last-words letters he’s grown familiar with as it seems to hold the same weight. Exploiting curiosity is one of the first tricks they teach in the _Onmitsukido_ , one of the most effective ways of manipulating behavior.

Yoruichi said just enough to grab his attention and left in a hurry, not giving him time to ask questions. She sowed the seeds of curiosity in his mind on purpose. Her end-goal was to get him to meet her agent in the World of the Living. She knows he’s going to take the mission; she knows he loves his wife enough to spur him into action.

Juushiro’s mind is going miles a second as he eyes the envelope. He hates this feeling. The envelope and the mission are clues to his wife’s whereabouts. Does he go through with it? Would it be a breech of trust for him to get involved? He trusts his wife.

Finally, he takes the envelope off the table and holds it, staring at the Shihouin seal without actually seeing it. Dark thoughts swirl in his mind.

He could be going to the World of the Living to be told of [Name]’s death. If the operation is still on-going they wouldn’t compromise it by announcing a death or funeral in their organization. The _Onmitsukido_ isn’t entirely heartless, but their top priority is to not jeopardize the mission. They’re not above making members ‘disappear’ without a trace to further their operations—especially one as important as this one seems to be. It would have to be a pretty big mission for an operation to bleed into the World of the Living. A mission with dire consequences if it’s jeopardized.

Yoruichi is his friend. She could be sending him to the World of the Living to get news of his wife’s passing. If they managed to recover her body he’ll likely be given the option to take it with him and pay his respects quietly. He hasn’t heard from [Name] in years. She could be dead for all he knows. He just doesn’t know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm…this would be an interesting way to end [Name]’s life and this series. The harsh “reality” of being in the Onmitsukido/married to an Onmitsu. You never know if you’re being summoned to identify a body.


	3. An Order

Angela approaches her front door, palming a dagger hidden in her sleeve.

It’s eight at night; nobody would be knocking on her door without a reason and she doesn’t recall anyone mentioning dropping by. A member of the _Onmitsukido_ would have either let themselves in or given her word of their visit. Surprises aren’t a big thing among _Onmitsu_ ; surprising one of their own usually ends with a knife to the heart.

Has she been compromised? There has been no warning. She mentally kicks herself; warnings are luxuries and if she starts expecting one every time an operation goes belly-up she’ll wind up dead in a ditch somewhere, or worse.

She opens the door with one hand as she lets the knife drop from her sleeve with the other, immediately at the ready for an on-coming attack. She’s greeted by a gasp.

“[Name]?”

Angela’s eyes widen. She wraps her arms around her visitor and pulls him into the house. She shuts the door in a hurry, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She has been compromised. She prays that nobody was around to hear her visitor’s words.

“[Name], it is you, isn’t it?” Juushiro raises an eyebrow at the woman who just pulled him into the house.

“My name is Tsukishiro Angela. You’re mistaken, _honey_.” Angela—[Name]—responds with a wink as she gestures to her ear with one hand. Juushiro understands immediately.

“Forgive me, Angela. You looked so much like someone I know. They say everyone has at least three doppelgangers in the world, I guess.” He laughs, casually, and smiles at his wife.

Crisis averted, [Name] slides the knife back into her sleeve and returns Juushiro’s smile as she looks him over. A million questions bubble in her head, but for now she’s just enjoying the sight of her beloved. And what a sight he is.

Juushiro is wearing a _gigai_. His white hair has been bundled up and hidden under a brown bowler hat. He is wearing a tailored, brown, Western-style suit over a maroon dress-shirt. Overall, he looks like some foreign dignitary visiting Japan, or possibly a scholar back from traveling.

[Name] ushers Juushiro deeper into the house, toward the kitchen and away from the thin walls and doors that separate the interior from the outdoors where any number of ears could be listening in.

“What are you doing here? N-Not that I’m complaining.” [Name] stammers out in a slightly quieter voice.

Juushiro whips out an envelope from the inner pocket of his suit.

“Someone asked me to deliver this to the one at this address.” Juushiro strings together what he hopes is vague language, realizing from [Name]’s reaction to her own name that uttering Yoruichi’s name here probably wouldn’t be the best idea.

[Name] takes the letter, noting the Shihouin seal on the envelope.

“She said she trusts your judgement on this matter.”

[Name] nods and breaks the seal on the envelope. Yoruichi sent Juushiro, most likely with orders not to open the envelope. At the same time, she’s deferring to [Name] on matters regarding this mission, and [Name] decides full transparency is in order since Juushiro is already here.

_[Name],_

_This is my response to your earlier report. Karakura is under Thirteenth’s jurisdiction and we would have needed to get their permission to enter the area anyway. Ukitake is a honest and trustworthy man, although I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that. If you need more eyes and ears on the ground in the World of the Living, hash out something with Ukitake and collaborate with Thirteenth._

_Central 46 decided that sending more_ Onmitsu _would cause too much of a fuss. Having to formally notify the_ Gotei _and go through the proper channels would run the risk of jeopardizing the operation. Central 46 knows this, but we’re toeing the line here. Hopefully, you can work something out with Ukitake, off the books._

_What you choose to share with Thirteenth is up to your discretion. This is your op and I trust you completely._

_P.S. Feel free to mix ‘business’ with ‘pleasure’ in this case. In fact, I encourage it. That’s an order._

[Name] blushes as she reads the letter from her commander.

The mission that brought her here, to the World of the Living, is a mission she has been working on for decades. It started with her first mission in the Dangai. The potential dissidents she was sent in to listen-in on were part of a secret faction of people unsatisfied with the organization of Soul Society. From reapers unsatisfied with the chain of command in the _Gotei_ , to residents in Rukon who were dissatisfied with the blatant segregation of Soul Society—the faction has been rallying support, secretly, for decades.

After numerous missions and intel-gathering in the Soul Society, the _Onmitsu_ found evidence that the faction had branched out to the World of the Living. It was hard to notice, but some known members of the faction employed in the _Gotei_ were going on unauthorized excursions to the World of the Living. That’s why the _Onmitsu_ have set up a base here, in Kagamino city. They’re trying to glean more information and catch these dissenters in the act.

Originally, [Name] was an expendable, but trustworthy, member of the _Onmitsukido_. Her trustworthiness was what got her started on this operation. A newbie that was expendable enough to send into the Dangai and that would not be missed if things went south. She came back with intel and proved herself time and again since that mission.

Over the decades, many of the members assigned to some part of this operation (e.g. tailing a suspect) ended up on the wrong side of life. [Name] is currently the most senior member involved in this operation. Due to that, she’s been granted control over it. The Commander-in-Chief can’t become deeply involved in every operation. [Name] has become the nexus point for all information involved in this particular operation. Any time an _Onmitsu_ uncovers evidence that their target is somehow involved in this greater plot to overthrow order in Soul Society, they are directed to report to [Name]. She gathers the intel, organizes it, assigns members to tail potential suspects, and reports back to Yoruichi.

In the three years [Name] has been stationed in Kagamino, she has learned that the stories of townspeople acting odd is not a coincidence. It’s the dissenters, kidnapping people and assuming their identities for a time, or permanently. [Name] took a page out of their book and assumed the role of a (fake) foreign wife of a novelist who set out years ago for adventure.

The real Tsukishiro Soushi died on his travels, but the people back at home never got word of that. She studied Soushi’s history well, grilling his _konpaku_ for details on his life. She kept tabs on him when he entered Soul Society and he is a valuable informant for her. She didn’t just hijack his life, she forged a partnership with him, explaining that it was for get greater good. She also promised to look after his house and take his pre-existing manuscripts to publish in order to allow him to go down in history as a noteworthy scholar and novelist. Talk about ghost-writing.

She had reason to believe that the dissidents weren’t only in Kagamino. Unfortunately, she didn’t have clearance to enter the surrounding towns. Setting foot in another squad’s territory, unauthorized, could blow her entire operation—especially if the one to catch her was affiliated with the dissidents.

Apparently, Karakura is under Thirteenth and Naruki is under Tenth. She has no guarantee that the reaper stationed in each city is loyal to the current way of Soul Society. Her hands were tied. She needed more eyes and ears to trail suspected dissidents around the World of the Living.

Having to operate in a _gigai_ is a huge inconvenience. It can’t use _shunpo_ , _kido_ is limited, and at times there is a delay between the signal to move and the actual movement of the body. Add that to the fact that one’s strength is greatly diminished in _gigai_ form because the guys at R&D decided they didn’t want to create buff female bodies.

[Name] allows Juushiro to read the letter from Yoruichi. She giggles when she sees him flush at the ‘P.S.’ she included.

“Have we been pranked?” Juushiro asks.

“Maybe. I think she’s equal-parts serious and joking though. That sounds like the commander.”

“What do we do?”

[Name] gets up and walks over to the food she prepared for dinner.

“First, dinner. How long can you stay in the World of the Living?”

“I’m sure everyone’ll chalk up my absence as a bought of sickness. I’ll have to head back to set up the ruse at some point. Under that excuse I can probably stay for a week or maybe a fortnight.”

“Perfect, then we’ll talk shop tomorrow.”

“O…kay?”

“You saw the letter. We’ve been ordered to mix ‘business’ and ‘pleasure’. I don’t know about you, but I’d find it very pleasurable to enjoy a home-cooked meal with my husband.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness in publishing this last chapter. I don't have an excuse, really. The entire work was done when I posted chapter 1. I was editing stuff for a couple of weeks as well as staggering the chapters to build suspense. I intended to post this last chapter on July 31--so that I could say I managed to post the full work within a month. Life got kind of hectic for me, forcing me to forget about posting chapters or paying attention to my ao3 account at all. 
> 
> I have more installments for this series in the works, but no promises on when they'll be ready for publishing.
> 
> Thank you all for reading my work. I appreciate any comments, suggestion, kudos etc.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 endnote (unfortunately, gets shuffled to the end of the last chapter posted):
> 
> Who is Angela? Where is Angela? Even better, why is Angela?
> 
> Jokes aside, feel free to leave your thoughts and speculation on this work in the comments. I'd love to hear what you guys think about this work. I've been thinking long and hard on Tsukishiro Angela and I'm quite proud of her and what I have in store for her.


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